The present invention relates to recreational or leisure vehicles in general, and more particularly to a versatile recreational vehicle which is particularly suited for being towed by a ski lift.
The vehicle of the present invention is to be used particularly for driving down on inclined slopes or meadows and, more generally, for accomplishing journeys on all terrains.
There are already known various special vehicles for travelling on sloped terrains with slight relief. Such vehicles usually include four driven wheels equipped with large-size tires having pronounced tread patterns so as to give the vehicle good stability and a motive and displacement power which is essential for the proper use of the vehicle.
The combination of an elevated motor as well as a chassis which is even more elevated and of a suspension having a high resistance permits the vehicle to pass over or negotiate without difficulty small obstacles and unevennesses frequently encountered when traveling on rough terrain. Inasmuch as such vehicles are powered by powerful and hence heavy motors, their mobility is mediocre and, as a result, they would not be suited for use in leisure activities in which mobility and maneuverability of the vehicle are important factors of amusement derived from and attraction of such vehicles.
There are also already known very light vehicles with large wheels, whose engagement with the ground is enhanced by a very large number of wheels. Such usually single-seat vehicles have a tubular chassis and simple means for steering and braking. Unfortunately, such vehicles, in their non-motorized versions, do not possess all of the necessary safety functions or features, or a mechanism for rapid connection and release to enable such vehicles to be towed under favorable conditions, for instance, by ski lifts. Furthermore, such known vehicles do not possess a sufficient maneuverability which is a principal attraction of a recreational or leisure vehicle of the kind here under consideration. Moreover, the set of steerable wheels of such a vehicle does not offer a sufficient stability for the driving conditions involving rapid changes in the direction of travel.